SUBTEENS' DRUGS SHOCK

PARENTS said yesterday society was failing to conquer drug abuse as a
survey revealed at least 13% of 12-year-old had used illegal substances.

Australia's first national study on illicit drug use in secondary
schools found almost 40% of students aged 12 to 17 had tried illegal
drugs.

Cannabis was the most widely used illegal drug with more than one in
three students having tried it, including 13% of 12-year-olds and 56%
of 17-year-olds.

Federal Health Minister Michael Wooldridge said he was shocked by the
survey's results.

"I was very surprised at the large number of kids using cannabis, he
said.

"I don't think this is a good thing, I don't think cannabis is
harmless."

The survey, conducted by the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria in 1996,
found as many as four in 10 high school students had tried at least
one illegal drug.

And of the 4% of students who had experimented with opiates such as
heroin and morphine, 2.5% were 12-year-olds.

Federation of Parents and Citizens Association of NSW spokesman Rodney
Molesworth said it was time for a complete turnaround in the way the
problem of illegal drug use was dealt with.

"We recognise that our efforts have totally failed," he
said.

"And the reason for that is wave glamorised drugs by turning kids who
use illegal drugs into outlaws, heroes, fabulous risk-takers, where in
fact that is not the case at all."

Campaigns which sought to scare children away from drugs by
exaggerating their dangers or tougher penalties, actually increased
drug use, he said.

"We need to put in place programs which show just how essentially
daggy and repetitive drug use is and we have to address all drugs,
legal and illegal," he said.

"We need all campaigns against substance abuse to highlight just how
unheroic being whacked out of your head is."

The council said while cannabis use appeared to be a favourite among
students, the most common drugs were fbund to be legal substances such
as alcohol and tobacco.

The survey questioned 29,700 students in 434 schools.

The survey also found one in five students had tried drugs such as
sleeping pills and sedatives for non-medical purposes. The statistics
ranged from 17% of 22-year-aids to 22% of 15-year-olds.

Dr Wooldridge said there was no simple solution to the
problem.

"Abstinence may work for some, education may work for others,
diversion therapy may work for other people." he said.

"You need a balanced approach. No one approach is going to fix
this."

Checked-by: Patrick Henry